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WHY ISN'T TURKEY'S HOLOCAUST-DENYING CONDEMNED LIKE IRAN'S?
About - News & Issues
April 22 2009
Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is justly condemned for his rants and raves
about "the conspiracies of some powers and Zionist circles" and his
(and his regime's) toxic mix of Holocaust denying or denigration.
When Turkey peddles similar poisons, regarding Armenians, as it
did the very day Ahmadinejad was lecturing the Geneva conference on
racism, not a word was said by Official Washington or the European
Union. This, on the heels of Barack Obama reverentially addressing
the Turkish Parliament on its own floor.
Last night in Canada, representative from across the spectrum
of the Canadian government--conservatives, liberals and in
betweeners--commemorated the Armenian genocide (1915-1923), in which
some 1.5 million Armenians were murdered by Ottoman Turks and Kurds in
the dying days of the Ottoman empire and before the emergence of the
Turkish republic. In 2004, the Canadian Parliament passed a bill that
read: ""That this house acknowledge the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and
condemn this act as a crime against humanity." The then-government
of Paul Martin refused to endorse the bill, but subsequently Prime
Minister Stephen Harper did (a lesson to the U.S. Congress, which
has yet to pass a similar bill).
Get this: Turkey "warned" Canadian officials, including Canadian
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, not to talk genocide (where Turkey
gets the presumption to dictate what other countries' ministers may or
may not say is beyond me. Then again, it isn't: Ottoman imperiousness
dies hard.) Kenney did anyway, and Harper sent his written affirmation:
"I am honoured," he wrote, "to have this opportunity to extend my
warmest greetings to all those attending the Congress of Canadian
Armenians event to mark the 5th anniversary of the adoption of
the resolution by the House of Commons recognizing the Armenian
Genocide." He also, apparently, attended a vigil marking the genocide.
Turkey's response? It recalled its ambassador to Canada "for
consultation." How different, exactly, is that from Ahmadinejad's
shenanigans? Not very, in my book.
But European and American governments continue to dance around Turkey's
denials because Turkey and Armenia, who may be normalizing relations,
may be the West's new gate to the oil-rich Caucasus.
The Globe & Mail is reporting that Obama may be addressing the
Armenian genocide issue later this week. He's on record supporting
the bill declaring the genocide as such. But he's backpedaled since
becoming president.
It's easy to demolish Ahmadinejad. He's duplicity's clown. But
it's also meaningless if the same standard doesn't apply to other
holocaust deniers. Turkey bullies those who don't submit to its false
history. Canada refuses to go along. The United States officially
still does. Time to end that charade.
About - News & Issues
April 22 2009
Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is justly condemned for his rants and raves
about "the conspiracies of some powers and Zionist circles" and his
(and his regime's) toxic mix of Holocaust denying or denigration.
When Turkey peddles similar poisons, regarding Armenians, as it
did the very day Ahmadinejad was lecturing the Geneva conference on
racism, not a word was said by Official Washington or the European
Union. This, on the heels of Barack Obama reverentially addressing
the Turkish Parliament on its own floor.
Last night in Canada, representative from across the spectrum
of the Canadian government--conservatives, liberals and in
betweeners--commemorated the Armenian genocide (1915-1923), in which
some 1.5 million Armenians were murdered by Ottoman Turks and Kurds in
the dying days of the Ottoman empire and before the emergence of the
Turkish republic. In 2004, the Canadian Parliament passed a bill that
read: ""That this house acknowledge the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and
condemn this act as a crime against humanity." The then-government
of Paul Martin refused to endorse the bill, but subsequently Prime
Minister Stephen Harper did (a lesson to the U.S. Congress, which
has yet to pass a similar bill).
Get this: Turkey "warned" Canadian officials, including Canadian
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney, not to talk genocide (where Turkey
gets the presumption to dictate what other countries' ministers may or
may not say is beyond me. Then again, it isn't: Ottoman imperiousness
dies hard.) Kenney did anyway, and Harper sent his written affirmation:
"I am honoured," he wrote, "to have this opportunity to extend my
warmest greetings to all those attending the Congress of Canadian
Armenians event to mark the 5th anniversary of the adoption of
the resolution by the House of Commons recognizing the Armenian
Genocide." He also, apparently, attended a vigil marking the genocide.
Turkey's response? It recalled its ambassador to Canada "for
consultation." How different, exactly, is that from Ahmadinejad's
shenanigans? Not very, in my book.
But European and American governments continue to dance around Turkey's
denials because Turkey and Armenia, who may be normalizing relations,
may be the West's new gate to the oil-rich Caucasus.
The Globe & Mail is reporting that Obama may be addressing the
Armenian genocide issue later this week. He's on record supporting
the bill declaring the genocide as such. But he's backpedaled since
becoming president.
It's easy to demolish Ahmadinejad. He's duplicity's clown. But
it's also meaningless if the same standard doesn't apply to other
holocaust deniers. Turkey bullies those who don't submit to its false
history. Canada refuses to go along. The United States officially
still does. Time to end that charade.